Electrophoresis is the movement of electrically charged particles in a fluid under the influence of an electric field. The particles migrate toward the electrode of the opposite electric charge. Electrophoresis separation is dependent on charge and molecular size of macromolecules.
DNA damage and repair is a normal phenomenon in a cell. Its assessment at a single cell level may provide an important diagnostic tool for evaluating the effect of exposure/susceptibility to chemicals/disease conditions as measured in the Comet assay (Alok Dhawan et. al. 2001. Mutation. Research, Fundamental and Molecular Mechanisms of Mutagenesis 474 (1-2) 121-128).
As of now the methods involved in electrophoresis are vertical and 2D gel mainly for proteins; horizontal gel electrophoresis—mainly for RNA and DNA; and rod electrophoresis for studying enzyme leakage. Bangalore Genei (http://www.bangaloregenei.com/pdf-08/Techware-08/G19.pdf) uses a circular anode for their Rod Gel apparatus, wherein the provision of running the proteins has been made in separate tubes/rods. However all these have a common principle that the nucleotide/protein is pulled in one direction under the electric field to resolve different bands/damage to these macromolecules. However the draw backs in these kinds of electrophoresis are as follows:                1. The electrical field is applied to a large surface area and hence it is not uniform        2. Due to the large size of the gel and device, it is not possible to conduct the experiments on the field as the device is not portable.        3. The current requirement for running the existing devices is very high thereby limiting their use only to the laboratory.        4. The resolution is unidirectional and therefore resolution of bands having close molecular weight is not feasible.        5. The existing devices use a large amount of platinum wire as well as other materials due to their size and hence are relatively expensive.        
Conventionally, in electrophoresis including in Comet assay the electrical field is applied to a large surface area while the viewing area is very small, which, as far as uniformity of the field is concerned may not be appropriate.
To overcome these drawbacks a cost-effective apparatus is devised which is capable of resolving macro molecules in a circular multidirectional manner thus increasing resolving capacity of macromolecules in an efficient way. This is portable and uses a circular electrode facilitating maximum charge transfer.
This invention will have a major use for in vitro and in vivo genetic toxicology by assessing DNA damage in various living cells including lymphocytes, fibroblasts, macrophages, bladder cells, cervical epithelium and other eukaryotic cells as well as bacteria. Also the device shall be useful for the separation of different proteins, DNA and RNA of varying molecular weights. Due to small size of the device and simplicity of method thereof, it can be used at the field level for conducting human biomonitoring studies as well as for diagnostics.
This device and method will help in resolving nucleotides as well as proteins using circular electrophoresis. The circular electrode concept shall have better degree of resolution of bands of DNA, RNA and proteins in circular mode (360°), compared to the existing available technologies such as Comet assay where the DNA damage is measured only in one direction. Even DNA, RNA and protein gel electrophoresis is conducted in a single direction. This device and method will provide an opportunity to conduct electrophoresis in a circular mode (360°).